Surely It Was This Sky
by wasH2SO4
Summary: "The little hole in the eye, they have called it, the little hole has exposed us naked to the world and will not close. Blankly, the world looks in, and there are those in it so violent and so alone that they cannot rest". A young runaway searches for her lost past to make herself whole. Will the pieces fit together, or will she find herself more fractured than ever? (Levi/OC)
1. Chapter 1

Eren's breath hitched. Just then, his life had been flashing before his eyes, from the earliest toddle on the dry, hard wood of his childhood home to what he'd had for breakfast that morning. If he hadn't been too dazzled and astounded at the moment, he would have been relieved that that slop might not end up being his last meal after all.

Hypnotized, he watched as his savior tumbled through the air in a vortex of blood and fury, eyes shining like bullets. With his blade turned wrong side up in one hand, he danced from titan to titan in a deadly pirouette, almost too fast for the eye to follow. The technique, Eren noted with awe, was nearly identical to that of the Captain. Yet how could that be? How many frighteningly powerful combatants had called that method unique and otherwise impossible to master? His eyes followed with wonder as this impossible stranger changed course as smoothly as one might take a breath and sailed to a skidding halt before him.

The boy, whose friendly features belied his terrible strength, was surprisingly small and Eren wondered how such a tiny frame could move with such alarming force. Eren looked up into the eyes of his rescuer. Steely gray gazed back and, despite his frame, with those eyes and that technique, almost anyone would have been a little intimidated. But Eren somehow detected a warm glow in all that cold metal as deft hands sheathed steaming blades in one fluid motion.

He bent over with a smile, offering a dainty hand out to Eren, who found himself exhaling loudly. When had he stopped breathing? Gasping for air, he gazed at the offered hand suspiciously. He noted the long scar across the palm, right over where the life line would have been. Eventually, he dared to take it, and the deceptively petite titan-slayer hoisted him to his feet.

"Wh-who are you?" Eren asked, still dazed and impressed.

Gradually, he came to his senses and began to observe the civilian clothes clashing curiously with a tattered green Survey Corps cloak. Who was this person indeed?

The boy's smile faltered and he hesitated to answer. Eventually, he cleared his throat. "Currer—Currer Bell. And you?"

Eren caught himself gawping stupidly for a moment before sputtering out "E-Eren Jaeger!"

Currer gave him a small, accommodating smile. "Alright, Eren. Is your equipment functional?"

Was it? Eren looked down at his handles in wonderment, and pulled the triggers experimentally. Nothing. He swallowed hard.

Currer put his hand on Eren's shoulder reassuringly. "Don't worry. I've lugged deader weight through worse situations. Do you know where the rest of your squad is?"

Eren bit his lip. Was it really wise to lead this stranger to the others? How could he know if this Currer Bell was really an ally? Even if he wore the wings of freedom, even if he risked his life to save Eren's hide, could Eren really trust him? What was this guy even doing way out here in titan territory by himself? How did he _get_ there?

The young scout stepped back uneasily. Currer seemed to detect his apprehension and sighed. Then, to Eren's astonishment, the mysterious boy straightened up, put his feet together, and pressed his fist against his heart in salute, gazing at Eren courageously.

"I may not look it, but I once swore an oath to protect humanity at any cost. I can't offer you anything but my word. You can trust me."

Taken aback, Eren looked him over once more with caution. _Could_ he trust this stranger? Something in his gentle, steady gaze told Eren that he could. He nodded.

Currer smiled and, without dawdling for formalities, hooked his arm around Eren's waist and snaked their legs together, permitting Eren to use the top of his shoe as a foothold. Without ceremony, they catapulted into the treetops and Eren let out an involuntary yelp at the incredible speed and agility that could be commanded even under the burden of Eren's own heavier body. They whipped around trunks and betwixt branches at breakneck velocity, soaring and diving at a pace that left even Eren feeling a bit dizzy.

"Aren't you using up a lot of gas!?" Eren cried in alarm.

"No," Currer called back, his bell-like voice almost lost in the wind around him. "I'm using up a lot of a much more renewable resource— _Newtonian physics_!"

Eren frowned skeptically, and also because bugs were splattering on his face, but quietly admitted to himself that he had no choice but to believe that this stranger knew what he was doing. He pointed in the direction his squad had gone, hoping he was making the right decision.

It wasn't long before they began to come across the signs of humanity in the woods. Anchor holes, split bark, snapped branches, horseshoe tracks. From that point on, Eren found his directions feeling more and more like a ceremonial courtesy, for Currer seemed to be reading the clues in the trees much faster than his own memory could serve him.

"We're close!" Currer exclaimed.

"How can you tell?" Eren asked, baffled.

"Because I smell burning oak and—"

Suddenly, Currer came to a hard stop on a sturdy tree branch. Eren marveled that he hadn't gone flying headfirst into the next tree with a stop that abrupt and, steadying the swirling juices in his head, he wondered what could have spooked Currer so suddenly. A titan? No. He peered down through the trees at the little clearing where Petra, Levi, and the others had set up a small camp. The beginnings of a little fire smoked in the center.

Unexpectedly, Currer unwound himself from Eren and stepped away. "This is as far as I go. Good luck, Eren Jaeger."

"W-wait!" Eren, reached out to grab the retreating Currer by the shoulder. "Please, stay—talk to my superior. We could really use your help!"

Currer's face paled. "Sorry, kid, I'm not for hire."

Eren held fast to Currer's shoulder. "You said you swore an oath once. Well, humanity's in big trouble right now, in case you hadn't noticed!"

Currer lifted his hands defensively. "I also broke that oath once, if you couldn't tell! Among others!"

What was the big idea? Eren grimaced in confusion. How could this guy risk his life to save a complete stranger, dropping all those mind-blowing feats of agility and skill, and suddenly balk at taking him another twenty feet? Was he… a deserter?

Currer tried to pull himself loose. Eren held fast, so Currer tried to twist away. Soon, they were in a full-blown scuffle, teetering dangerously on the wobbly branch.

"Damn it, let go of me, you shit-eating brat!"

Eren let out a _glurk_ as Currer's elbow collided with his solar plexus, too worried about wrestling him down to think much about the pain or how much ' _shit-eating brat_ ' sounded like the kind of insult he might expect from Captain Levi. The similarities were a curiosity indeed.

Then, both of them halted their scuffle in frightened silence when the branch began to crackle beneath them. Without much further prelude, it snapped and they both let out long girlish shrieks as they scrambled to detach from each other and grab another branch. At the last instant, Currer managed to shoot an anchor into another tree, snatching Eren out of his fall mere inches from the ground. At the end of the slow arc of their long line, the two tumbled over each other, right into the clearing where Eren's squad gaped at them in dumbfounded silence.

As Eren slowly rose to his feet with a groan, Currer sprung up alertly, whipping his head around like a cornered animal.

"Oh no you don't!" Eren exclaimed, quickly pulling the wily boy into a headlock. Currer began to kick his shins ruthlessly and Eren's grunts rose in pitch with each strike.

"Let- _go_ -you-un- _grateful_ -punk-ass- _turd_!" Currer barked, pontificating each word with a kick.

" _Currer_?"

Suddenly, Currer froze. Eren quirked his brow. He turned to look at Levi questioningly. The Captain knew this person? As Levi strode over, seeming tenser than usual, Eren broke his hold and backed up. The Captain halted right before the stranger, mouth hanging open in—could it be?— _shock_? Currer kept his eyes fixed on the ground.

"Currer, look at me," Levi said commandingly. But Currer was adamant. Eren watched as the boy's hands shook, how he shifted his weight cautiously, prepared to break into a run at any moment.

But Levi was not prepared to tolerate defiance. He grabbed Currer roughly by the chin and jerked the boy's head up to face him. Then, his breath seemed to catch in his throat. For a second, it was like he was lost in that warm glow hidden beneath the steel in Currer's eyes. Slowly, Levi's breath returned to him and his hold on Currer's face softened into a… caress?

Eren tilted his head uncomfortably. Then, a shockwave of disbelief rocked through him as Levi crashed his lips down onto Currer's, pulling the boy into an intimate embrace. Eren's jaw dangled freely. He looked to his comrades for sympathy, but no one else seemed to be affected by this irregular display. Even Petra seemed to have acquiesced peacefully. Eren rubbed his eyes frantically. But the scene remained the same. The Captain was… gay, apparently? Eren tried to rationalize this. There must have been signs? He did seem to remember the Captain enjoying beating the crap out of him a little _too_ much, but…

Levi pulled away from Currer, whose face had grown red, and wet from tears.

"C-Captain…" Eren squeaked out. "Wh-what's going on? Who _is_ this person?"

Levi sighed and wrapped his arm around Currer's waist, pulling the smaller boy's head to rest on his shoulder and drown out the sobs, as he looked icily at Eren. Didn't the brat know when to shut his trap?

"This," he said, pulling the boy closer still, "is my wife."

Eren's head almost spun three hundred and sixty degrees. _Wife_? The Captain was _married_? And Currer was a _woman_? It was almost too much for Eren's poor little titan heart. He remembered wrestling her in the trees and greatly regretted a number of his grabs. His face reddened. He dragged his hand over his jaw. As he tried to puzzle through the mystery, the rest of the squad drew in.

"Hmph!" Oluo exclaimed. "Still the same clumsy brat, it seems."

"Likin' the new digs," Gunther chuckled, flipping Currer's purple bow ascot into her face.

"Still can't wrestle for acorns, huh, squirrelly?" Eld laughed, slapping her back.

Petra squeezed past Levi and pulled Currer into a hug. "I'm so happy you're okay!"

Eren watched, perplexed beyond the capacity to seek answers. Wasn't Petra notoriously in love with Levi? But he had a wife? And how did Levi's mysterious wife turn up out here in the middle of nowhere, far beyond Wall Rose, slicing titans up like some gory tornado angel? All this and more he wondered as the rest of the team enjoyed their reunion. But, Eren noted with a frown, Currer didn't seem as pleased to see them as they were to see her.

* * *

Today's scene: sta . sh/01totuclvmk1

A/N: I decided I've been sitting on this way too long. I know it still needs work and the formatting is kinda sucky, but... Deep breaths... It's time. The first chapter takes place after Trost, but the rest of the story will take place before the attack on Wall Maria. I also had only seen up to season 1 when I first wrote this, so, fair warning, it's not totally canon compliant. Anyway, let me know what you think so far. Do you hate it? Love it? Should I probably have revised it another dozen times before posting my shit writing? (Answer: Yes).


	2. Chapter 2

When I joined the Survey Corps in the low light of the last day of September, there were only three of us remaining from a crowd of fifty-six potential recruits. A faint, pale purple lingered behind the imposing silhouette of Wall Maria, darkness fast encroaching. Firelight flickered on the faces of my comrades; two sweaty, disheveled, hot messes that had been my family for the last three years. I scratched my head, gazing at my shoes, shifting my weight anxiously.

The Commander had made a speech devoid of the uplifting notes that might have saved my fellow recruits the sloshing of stomach fluids. He gave us cold, hard facts, garnishing no reality with placation or promises of valor. This was no rally and as he walked off of the stage grimly, there was no cheering, no feasting or party favors, no congratulatory celebration.

I thought perhaps I should be regretting this decision, perhaps I should be frightened. This wasn't supposed to be taken for granted, was it? Shouldn't I have had second thoughts, at the very least? Yet, with Locke and Rivka at either side of me, each looking like they might need to change their pants at any moment, I found myself unable to relate. Instead, I was elated, almost as if the wings of freedom would sprout right from the sinewy concavities of my shoulder blades and fly me clear over the moon. A warmth waltzed up from my belly and into my chest, my arms, my fingertips. I looked down at my right hand, scanning every ridge of the scar across my palm, the only vestige of who I was before—whoever that was.

"I think I'm gonna be sick. What kind of initiation was _that_?" Locke groaned, combing a hand through his dark, choppy hair. "I can't believe I let the two of you talk me into this."

"Nobody talked you into a damn thing," Rivka huffed. "Don't tell me you didn't realize this would be dangerous."

"Well, of course I did. That's why I spent three years trying to talk some damn sense into the two of you," he grumbled.

"Ha! You couldn't talk sense into Thales of Miletus," I cattily replied, punching him on the shoulder.

" _Who_?" He responded, sending me a withering look.

Scoffing, I turned my nose up. " _Philistine_."

"Again, _who_?"

"Seriously? That one's not a person, it's an adjec… Never mind. You really didn't pay attention in class, did you?"

Rivka pinched the bridge of her nose. "I don't know about you, Locke, but I'm too on edge for another session of The Classics with Currer. We should all get back to the barracks."

"Seconded," Locke replied, grimacing as he rubbed the back of his neck. "The Commander said we'd be meeting our squads bright and early."

"You guys go ahead. I think I'll roam for a little bit. Try and work off some of this giddiness."

Rivka contorted her lips into a distasteful frown. "Only _you_ would be giddy at the thought of being eaten by a giant."

I rolled my eyes. "I'm scared, too, obviously, I just don't feel much like sleeping with that image in my head." Not strictly true, but…

"Fair enough," Rivka conceded. "I guess my more immediate fear is making a bad impression."

Locke cleared his throat. "Are you… _sure_ you want to stay out here alone, Currer? Maybe you'd better come back with me, just to be safe."

"Oh, please, I'll be fine. I'm not a little kid anymore, Locke." He seemed skeptical.

"Exactly! Currer can take care of himself," Rivka concurred. "On the other hand, a lithe and supple beauty such as myself could really use an escort."

Scratching his head, Locke hesitated. He edged over to Rivka, but kept his eyes on me. "Don't stay out _too_ late," he warned.

"Relaaax," I replied, waving dismissively. "I won't be long."

Locke and Rivka lingered only for a few moments before shambling back to the barracks, conversing solemnly. I sighed. Crickets began to chirp as I made my way to a fencepost, sitting contemplatively.

I clutched my fluttering heart, scolding it softly: "Only you would break out the fiddle to play a funeral march".

"Tch. This isn't the fife and drum corps, recruit. Take your 'fiddle' to the fire and head to the barracks. You won't be able to sleep in tomorrow."

I lifted my gaze to meet that of Corporal Levi Ackerman, who grimaced at me out of the corners of his eyes. Beside him, the Commander observed quietly. The height difference between them was hilariously conspicuous. I had wondered why it didn't occur to the Commander to boost morale by parading Humanity's So-Called Strongest on the stage, but now I had my answer. The contrast made it hard to take either one seriously.

And so, foolishly, I deliberated upon my response. On the one hand, I thought, I should probably stand in salute and do as I was told. On the other hand, wasn't I technically off duty until morning? My internal compass shrugged and I cleared my throat. The Corporal and the Commander raised their eyebrows.

"Oh, my friend, how did you come to trade the fiddle for the drum? Oh, my friend, what time is this to trade the handshake for the fist? You say that we have turned, like the enemies you've earned, and when we ask you why, you raise your sticks and cry. Oh, my friend, we have all come to fear the beating of your drum."

A stunned silence followed my recital. Commander Smith's mouth hung open slightly in his affront. Levi scowled.

"What the hell was _that_?" The latter asked at last, turning toward me fully and intimidatingly.

I grinned sheepishly. "Uh… A poem… sir?"

The Corporal stepped forward, reached his hand out, and pulled me to my feet by the shirt collar. "Do you think this is a joke, you quivering piss ant?"

I raised my hands in surrender. "N-no, sir, of course not, I—"

"' _Of course not_ '? Do you think I'm an idiot? Do you think I need you to state the obvious for me?" His voice was low and collected, like a dark, placid pool, and yet I glimpsed the maw of the lake creature beneath.

I gulped. "No, sir, I'm sure you're very intelligent!"

His eyebrow twitched and I began to see teeth in his scowl. "Didn't they teach you how to speak to a superior officer? Are you stupid or something?"

"Yes, sir! I mean—no, sir, I'm not! I mean—Can you please ask one question at a time, sir?"

"What's your name, soldier?" he growled.

"C-Currer Bell, sir."

"That's a stupid name. Call yourself Piss Ant from now on."

"Wha—"

"Run laps until morning. If you stop running before then, I'll make you do chin ups until noon."

"B-But it's only nine-o'clock!"

"Then you _only_ have to run for nine hours."

I began to protest, but he threw me aside and planted a kick on my rear, sending me stumbling down the path with my tail between my legs, wondering just what could have possessed me.

* * *

Levi dusted himself off compulsively and resumed the path to the officers' barracks. Commander Erwin lingered briefly, watching as the spastic recruit skittered into the wooded path, shrieking softly in fright.

"Who was _that_ jabbering moron?" Levi asked, adjusting his cravat in an effort to stifle his annoyance.

"As it happens, that was Former Commander Valentine's only child."

Levi tilted his head to look up at his commander, nonplussed. He hadn't really been expecting an answer and had really been muttering to himself.

"She was raised by _that_ hard-ass? You would think he'd have disciplined her better."

Erwin raised his eyebrows, evidently surprised by something. ' _She?_ ' he wondered internally. He hadn't realized that the Corporal was quite so astute. The Commander himself only knew because he had met her several times before. He composed himself and made a dismissive noise. "You would think. Unless he never meant for her to join the military. He may have spoiled her instead."

"What sorry squad were you thinking of dumping her on?"

Erwin grunted uncomfortably. "Special Ops," he replied, trying to disguise his words beneath a cough.

Levi stopped abruptly, turned, and narrowed his eyes at the much taller Commander. "Hey… Did I hear you right? You're putting that idiot on _my_ squad?"

Erwin scratched his jawline, flattening his bushy eyebrows grimly. "Yes, well, she was top of her class, and you're one short ma—er—short one man, so…"

Levi flinched at the mention of the soldier he had lost to an aberrant during the last expedition, to say nothing of that slip of the tongue, and closed his hands into tight fists before resuming his path. He wasn't happy to have Erwin meddling in his decisions like this, but… "She'd better hope she can fill his shoes."

* * *

"Have you seen Currer?" Locke sleepily asked, regarding Rivka through droopy eyes. He hadn't been able to sleep last night, and the same seemed to be true of his fellow recruit, though she appeared to be dealing with it better.

"No. Not since last night after the ceremony."

Locke ran a hand through his dark hair in an effort to revitalize himself. Currer swore she wouldn't be long, but instead she never came back at all. He tried to contain his anxiety. Couldn't she _ever_ stay out of trouble?

"You don't think he turned tail, do you?" Rivka wondered.

"No, not a chance; where would he run to? That guy has balls of steel, anyway."

"Or brains of porridge."

"Yeah, probably that, too."

They straightened up when Commander Erwin approached them, hands folded behind his back. "Where's the other one?" he asked.

Locke shrugged and Rivka elbowed him discreetly in the ribs, eliciting an agonized moan.

"We don't know, sir," she said, smiling.

Erwin looked at Locke with concern as he keeled over, holding his bruising side. "Are you alright, soldier?"

"Y-yes, sir," he squeaked out.

"Well, we may have to get started without Bell, then." Erwin walked to the front of the room stoically. There were only three new recruits, but much of the Survey Corps had assembled to welcome them in the mess. The room was filled with hushed conversation. He wondered if Currer had taken Levi's orders on the previous night seriously. Had she passed out in the woods somewhere? Or had she managed to weasel her way out of it?

His thoughts were interrupted when a door burst open. Two soldiers came in carrying a third who flopped like a ragdoll between them. Currer Bell, just in time. They hoisted her into a chair and splashed a glass of water on her face. She jolted up.

"What happened to you!?" A concerned Rivka asked, barreling through the crowd to her friend's side.

Currer dragged a hand up her face and through her hair, collapsing back into the chair. Her face was bright red from exertion and she was covered in dirt and sweat.

"Corporal Levi happened," she managed to struggle out, reaching helplessly for another glass of water.

The entire room turned their attention to the Captain, who leaned coolly against the wall with his arms crossed. He seemed oblivious. A copper haired woman beside him stood aghast. "Wh-what did you do to that poor boy?" she asked, hushed.

Levi shut his eyes contemplatively before pushing himself off of the wall and casually ambling over to the drained recruit. "You ran all night?" he asked.

Currer furrowed her brows and mustered up a weary sneer, lifting her finger in preparation for a snarky retort.

Rivka interjected, slapping her friend's impudent hand down onto the arm of the chair and funneling the contents of a jug into his equally impudent mouth, effectively curbing disaster. "DRINK UP, CURRER, YOU DON'T WANT TO DIE OF DEHYDRATION!" She exclaimed, laughing maniacally.

Currer gurgled helplessly, drowning in Rivka's kind gesture.

"Uh, w-we were standing outside and he just came limping up the path before collapsing on the steps," One of the soldiers who helped her in explained.

Levi scowled at Currer. "I don't believe it," he said, mostly to himself. He took the jug from Rivka, who backed away shakily, a mass of nerves. Then, he grabbed Currer by the shirt collar and dragged her stumbling to the front of the room, shoving her unceremoniously into a flabbergasted Locke, who steadied her as she scowled at the Captain. Rivka hurried to join them.

"Let's get this over with," Levi huffed to the astonished Erwin.

Erwin cleared his throat. "Everyone; Today we are here to receive our new comrades in the fight for humanity's freedom. After the tragedy of the last expedition, each and every man willing to take up arms to regain our territory is crucial. Please, welcome them as friends.

"Locke Wagner, Rivka Reed, you'll both be in squad thirteen. Currer Bell, you'll be in special ops." The room came alive with whispers. A newbie on special ops? Moreover, the freak who just caused a big scene? Erwin nodded to a soldier who stood just behind him. The soldier hurried to the three newbies and presented them with their new uniforms, which they each took nervously.

Erwin smiled. "I wish the three of you luck."

* * *

Today's scene: sta . sh/0eprrff9ims

A/N: Woooooo-oh god I'm having serious anxiety about this. I haven't published a story in so many years. I hope _someone_ out there enjoys it. Anyway, if you wanted to know what Locke and Rivka look like, they appear on this character sheet tinyurl ybfsezb6

Please review!


	3. Chapter 3

Rivka and Locke smiled wistfully at me, the former wrapping her arms around me in a tearful hug. The three of us had been inseparable throughout our three years of training. Locke, my oldest friend and closest confidant, defender and protector. And Rivka, cunning and benevolent, whose friendship was hard-won and true.

We had made it out of a lot of sticky situations together and, though I was beyond exhausted, I still had it in me to feel a pang of despair at the thought of being separated from them. Locke gave my shoulder a squeeze and smiled at me, though beneath the veil of confidence, I detected a hint of concern. I would have to look after myself and guard my own secrets from here on out. But was I ready for it? Perhaps I gave my own doubts away when I found myself unable to return his reassurance. I turned my gaze down, holding my wrist fretfully.

Together, Locke and Rivka walked off, joining their new squad at the other side of the room. I withheld a whimper as they filed out the door.

After a few moments of sniveling melancholy, I became aware of figures standing around me, the most alarming of which was Levi, whose contempt was palpable. I shrank away from him guardedly, determined that I wouldn't say anything to him other than ' _yes, sir_ ' and ' _no, sir_ ' ever again.

The first person to speak up was the copper-haired woman, whose petite frame and cute, friendly face one couldn't help but find welcoming and reassuring. "Welcome to squad Levi!" she said cheerfully. "I'm Petra Ral. This is Eld Jinn, Oluo Bozado, Gunther Schultz, and, of course, you know Captain Levi."

I smiled back at her automatically, shaking her offered hand for a few seconds before realization hit me. _Welcome to the squad? SQUAD LEVI?_

I dropped her hand as if I had been caught stealing it and turned to look at Captain Levi, my expression like shattered glass. He scowled.

"Let's go," he commanded. "We have to get back to HQ for training."

He sailed past me like a wraith. Training? But my legs were jelly sticks! My lungs, shriveled raisins!

"B-but I ran all night! I haven't slept or eaten!" With a gasp, I slapped my hand over my mouth. What happened to my vow of silence?

The others looked on in surprise. He glared at me. "Didn't I tell you that you wouldn't get to sleep in today? This is what happens when you mouth off. Do you think titans care whether you slept well and had a nutritious breakfast?"

My sight began to fog over with tears. Yes, indeed, by his own admission, my new Captain, who was entitled by contract to my unquestioning loyalty, had as little compassion as a titan. Where was my fiddle now?

The creases between his brows grew more severe by the second as my eyes grew ever more wet and rotund. Petra suddenly inserted herself between us, chuckling sheepishly to diffuse the tension. She placed a hand on my shoulder. "Don't worry, Currer, you can take a nap in the carriage!"

I turned my gaze up to her, a light beginning to grow behind my weary eyes. She was like the glorious face of god, and as I looked into her gentle visage, I could almost hear the singing of angels. But alas, even the Whore of Babylon was said to come with such graces enveloping her deception. In an instant, that welling light was snuffed, for Levi scoffed:

"Don't be ridiculous." He firmly craned Petra out of the way and glared down on me. "The carriage is reserved for those who show their worth, not their lip. You're going on _foot_."

* * *

"Captain, please reconsider!" Petra exclaimed, sprinting after the Captain, whose stride, despite his short stature, was brisk and relentless. He ignored her in the same manner and the others followed his lead, shrugging and sighing out: ' _if the captain says so, it can't be helped_ '.

I trailed far behind, now changed into my new jacket and cloak, sadly thumbing the outline of the wings of freedom embossed upon my breast pocket. I had been dreaming of these wings for three years. I had to stay strong. Maybe he wasn't screaming in my face, looming over me like a titan and showering me in denture spit, but this was really just Drill Sergeant Shadis version two, right? I remembered it well.

 _As he swept up and down the ranks, my eyes were trained on the boots of the boys in front of me. I saw the fluttering of his long jacket between their legs, but dared not look up. I recognized him. If he looked into my face and saw not another sniveling maggot, but Frayda Valentine, the fugitive daughter of his former Commander, I was finished._

 _Beside me, Locke swayed to one side and bumped my shoulder with his. I looked up and met his gaze, his eyes urging me to stand straight and look forward. But I didn't understand his mouthing, his frantic nodding. All I could do was shake and swallow down the dryness in my mouth._

 _"And_ what _do we have here?"_

 _I yelped as Shadis snatched my jacket collar, hoisting my puny frame an entire foot off of the ground. I grabbed onto his fist, trying feebly to lift myself up, legs flailing pathetically. My heart was pounding, but not because of this mishandling; rather, because of the way his beady eyes, beaming out from what seemed two craggy wells of darkness, scanned my face. He dropped me almost instantly and, as soon as I regained my balance, he grabbed me by the skull and craned my head up, gaze boring into me._

 _"What's your name,_ worm _?"_

 _I gulped, shaking in my boots. I looked over to Locke, who was gesturing madly until Shadis' corpse-like glare paralyzed him. He trained his eyes back on me and my mouth began to move soundlessly, as if compelled by some unnatural force. I let out a wheeze._

 _"C-currer Bell!"_

 _Unexpectedly, he let go of my head and leaned down to my level. One hairless brow arched high. "'Bell', is it?" he asked. Then, he straightened himself out. "You remind me of someone."_

 _With that, he carried on down the ranks and I would have collapsed, but my knees seemed to have been locked in place, impelled to rigidity by fear. Did he recognize me? Did he see through my disguise? Would he rat me out to the Commander? My hands trembled at the thought of returning to that flowery, brocaded prison camp, I the only inmate, where the shackles were corsets, the cages were crinolines, and the warden was my own father._

Shadis, it seemed, hadn't really recognized me, for Commander Valentine never came charging into the training camp, busting down doors and wringing necks in search of me. He also never quite managed to break my spirit, and I persevered through his grueling training, eventually rising to the top of the roster, out-performing all of the other trainees in every measurable way, including Locke and Rivka.

Levi was sure to assert his authority in the same way, I supposed, and I vowed to meet it in the same way as well—as meekly and obediently as possible, until the opportunity to exact sweet revenge presented itself. I paused, looking into the sad little faces of the late autumn blooms. I took a little inspiration from this plain flower which looked so helpless but, despite its humble bearing, dared to laugh in the face of brutal winter.

"Hey, what are you dawdling about for?" The Captain called back as he stepped into the simple, rickety cart. "This isn't the place to be picking your wedding bouquet, Piss Ant."

Eld had taken up the reins while Gunther and Oluo made themselves comfortable. Petra looked at me apologetically from her hay-bale seat, and soon the special ops squad joined the eight-mile procession to the Survey Corps' provisional headquarters. At first, the pace was easy, but as we merged onto the road, I was forced to run faster and faster to keep up. Levi barked insults at me any time I fell behind. Most of the way, I stumbled over my feet and sobbed quietly.

* * *

Petra watched, horrified and helpless as the Captain laid his abuse on the newbie, wondering what could possibly have made such an innocent and obedient boy so hateful to the normally even-handed Captain she so admired. She certainly didn't remember being treated thusly when she joined the year before. Could it be simply because he was appointed by the Commander rather than hand-picked as the rest of them had been? In that case, how could he take it out on Currer so selfishly?

"Well, what do you think? He's got spunk, right?" Eld wondered, leaning back on the reins with a smile. He always enjoyed a spirited ride through the woods, but he paled a bit when Petra turned an odious glower upon him. If he weren't driving the horses so hard, maybe poor Currer could take it easy for a few miles! He swallowed the lump in his throat and turned away, effectively rescinding his question, but for the other two, it had already been planted.

"It's a little ridiculous, isn't it? Putting a complete novice among _our_ ranks?" Oluo scoffed. "He'll drop dead the second he lays eyes on his first titan."

Petra turned her glower on him. "Hey—are you trying to imitate the Captain again?"

Oluo turned his nose up in affront. "I'm sure I don't know what you're talking about," he huffed, adjusting his cravat indignantly.

Gunther hummed. "But if the Commander saw fit to make such an unusual decision, there must be something special about the kid, right? I mean, he _has_ managed to put up with…" he trailed off, his eyes slowly drifting to the back of the Captain's head before he snapped them away, afraid to be spotted. He swallowed, whispering conspiratorially. " _That_."

"I've seen titans with toddler legs who have better running form," Levi declared, his leg propped up on the back of the cart as he sneered at the shambling Currer, who could only huff and puff exhaustedly in retort. "Are you trying to hold your poop in or something?"

Petra sighed. "I have to agree with Gunther. His physical endurance alone is amazing. If I were in his position, I would have passed out already."

"Right!?" Gunther exclaimed, leaning forward. "He must be sustaining himself on pure rage," he offered, abruptly performing a Hail Mary for his own protection. "The Captain might have to lock his door at night," he added.

He yelped when Levi began to turn toward him with a scowl, but was quickly relieved to find that his semi-insubordinate comment had gone unheard.

"Tch. How disappointing," Levi said. "Erwin would have been better off assigning us a chamber pot."

To his surprise, as the words escaped his lips, his face caught the whip of a dirty cloak, its ends dripping with mud, and its collar reeking of sweat. He tore it down, grimacing in disgust just in time to see the defiant orange blur of Currer's buff leather jacket as she raced ahead, keeping pace with the horse and throwing a salute at the grinning Eld. The others looked on in awe. They had heard of second and even third winds, but this was ridiculous.

Levi's mouth only hung open for a moment before he shoved the discarded cloak down and resumed his tirade of abuses.

* * *

"Time for a break!" A cloaked horseman hollered as he rode down the length of the procession, clanging on a crude bell. Slowly, Eld pulled back on the reins and I came to a stop at the rear of the cart, bracing myself against my knees as I gasped for breath. I had managed to keep up for four miles, over an hour at no easy pace, and I didn't know if I could make another four.

Oluo, dismounting and approaching me curiously, offered an open canteen, yelping as I snatched it up and greedily guzzled its contents. Abruptly, Levi snatched the canteen back and screwed the lid on with a scowl.

"If you're going to drink so hideously, you can drink out of the river with the horses," he snapped, disappearing into the growing crowd ahead with my precious, precious water. I held my hand out for it longingly, but it was gone.

"Chin up, newbie!" Eld exclaimed, and, to my horror, snapped an open palm across my posterior. Yelping, I sprung away, holding my hands aloft in the shape of claws and hissing like a cornered cat. He laughed heartily. "Whoa there, your Tiger Style is looking more like a wet kitten, kid." With that, he tossed me a rag, ruffled my hair, and advised me to wash up before the Captain really blew a gasket.

Puzzled, I watched him as he led the horses off into the woods. What could that mean? Was the Captain not aware of the correlation between physical exertion and perspiration? Did he lack some fundamental understanding of human anatomy? I supposed he did appear to be inhumanly cruel. I mean, his diminutive height _seemed_ safe enough, but maybe he really _was_ a titan after all. Pondering this, I patted my face warily until Petra's smile wandered into my field of vision.

"How are you doing?" she asked brightly. I couldn't help but smile back. It was infectious and revitalizing.

"I've been worse, but I've also been better," I replied. I had actually definitely never been worse. I was pretty sure I was going to start hacking up organs soon. But if I had to throw up, I'd definitely make sure the Captain was in the path of my delivery. Of course, that would only make up for about a tenth of what he'd put me through so far, so my ghost would definitely have to get creative.

"Well, you should probably take care of as much as you can in the next twenty minutes. I wish it were longer so you could take a nap," she hummed regretfully.

"Yeah…" I agreed, my mind mostly drifting to the issue of bladder evacuation. Yawning, I arched my back a bit, shuffling my arms to work out the kinks and knots that had formed long since, and with that, wandered off into the woods.

Thankfully, the arbor seemed devoid of prying eyes, apart from the skittish squirrel or two, and cautiously, I undid my belts and crouched behind a bush. A sigh escaped my lips as the full volume of the Klinesbridge dam finally found its freedom in a hairline crack, soon pried into an estuary. But, as the new river flowed, glistening golden in its path, it dreamed not of finding its end under the deft foot of a silent intruder.

"Currer!"

I froze. Oh god. Oh god no. Slowly, I turned my head, peering over the bush, eyes like saucers, mortified to find Gunther casually approaching. Shiiiiit.

"What'cha doin' back there; taking a dump or so—"

He stopped dead when his innocent trampling found a soft splattering, the strangled cries of my innocent puddle as its sweet freedom was stomped out.

I looked over the bush at him. He looked over the bush at me. On his face was disbelief. Slowly, he leaned over. He had to find out for sure, and I could do nothing to prevent it. After a moment's investigation, he leaned back, but there was no satisfaction for his curiosity after all; only greater demand as his mouth formed ever more elaborate shapes in the hope of expressing his distress.

Slowly, I stood up, pulling my trousers into place and fastening my belts calmly. I couldn't just let this stand. He knew my secret now, and that meant he would have to die.

Perhaps sensing my resolution, Gunther threw his hands up in surrender and backed away warily. "Hey, l-listen, I didn't see anything, alright? Some guys like to crouch when they pee, probably! T-to each his own, eh!" Sweat beaded on his brow.

Menacingly, I stepped over the bush and grabbed him by the broach of his cloak, pulling him down to my stature. I must have looked as scary as Shadis, for he cowered under my gaze like a wet-nosed trainee. My nostrils flared like the caverns of the dreaded wyvern (though perhaps less stocked with gold, as Mrs. Schumer once assured me). This moment was pivotal, and if I was to show mercy, it would have to be in the form of absolute tyranny.

"If you breathe a word to _anyone_ ," I whispered, my breath like methane and tongue like a flint, "I will make sure _you_ crouch when you pee, too."

He swallowed hard and nodded enthusiastically as he promised in a whimper: "N-not a word!"

After a few more moments of silent intimidation, I threw him aside, dusted my hands off, and returned to the road, unwilling to let this minor setback shake me. After all, I still had four miles to go.

* * *

A/N: No artwork for this chapter, sadly. Sorry it took so long to update. I had to make some huge revisions and ended up splitting the original chapter 3 into two separate chapters. After I get past the next one, updates should be pretty frequent, since there's already about 20 chapters written. Also , I realize I switched from calling Levi "Captain" to calling him "Corporal" in chapter 2 and have now switched back. I promise I'll fix it later. _; Sorry!

Please review! Whether you loved or hated it, hearing your thoughts is a huge motivator!


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